Conical transition

ABSTRACT

An axial flow combine of the type embodying threshing and separating means in the form of a cylindrical casing within which a rotor operates and which defines a threshing region and a separating region. A funnel-like frusto-conical extension at the forward end of the casing is provided with internal helical transport fins and cooperates with a vaned impeller on the rotor to move the crop material rearwardly into the threshing region, the outer edges of the impeller vanes sweeping around the frustoconical wall of the extension in close coextensive proximity thereto.

nitefl States Patent [1 1 Drayer Aug. 6, 1974 CONICAL TRANSITION PrimaryExamincrAntonio F. Guida [75] lnvemor' Gary Drayer Sims Attorney, Agent,or FirmF. David AuBuchon; Floyd [73] Assignee: International HarvesterCompany, B H n Chicago, Ill. 22 Filed: June 29, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT Anaxial flow combine of the type embodying thresh- [zll Appl' N05 375,206ing and separating means in the form of a cylindrical casing withinwhich a rotor operates and which de- [52] U.S. Cl 130/27 T fines athmshing region and a Separating region- A [51] Int. Cl. AOlf 12/18funnel-like frusto-conical extension at the forward end [58] new ofSearch 130/27 R, 27 T oiihe casing is pr with internal helical transportfins and cooperates with a vaned impeller on the rotor [5 ReferencesCited to move the crop material rearwardly into the thresh- UNITEDSTATES PATENTS ing region, the outer edges of the impeller vanessweeping around the frusto-conical wall of the exteng g ii sion in closecoextensive proximity thereto. 3,648,710 3/1972 Rowland-Hill 130/27 T 11Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAUB 61w 3.827.443 sum 3 OF 5 PAIENIEUAUG 51974 SHEET 0 BF 5 'PATENTEDMIB 61914 I 3,827.443

SHEET 5 BF 5 FIG. 10

CONICAL TRANSITION The present invention relates generally to harvestingcombines and has particular reference to that type of combine which iscommonly referred to as an axial flow combine and wherein the cropmaterial flows axially through an open-ended casing within which thereis disposed a rotor. The invention is specifically concerned with animproved means for feeding crop material to such casing in a mannerwhereby the capacity of the combine to thresh and separate the materialis appreciably increased.

Axial flow combines of the type under consideration invariably areprovided with a cylindrical rotor casing having a concave and asucceeding grate for cooperation with rasp bars and blades mounted onthe rotor, the concave thus defining a threshing region and the gratedefining a separating region. The crop material is fed rearwardly intothe forward end of the casing in the form of a mat where a vanedimpeller on the rotor conducts the material rearwardly into thethreshing region where it is carried around by the rotor for threshingby means of the rasp bars and concave, after which the material movesinto the separating region and is operated upon by the rotor blades andgrate. Transport fins or flights are usually provided along the innersurface of the rotor casing within the threshing and separating regionsto move the crop material axially and rearwardly through the casing.

Axial flow combines of the general type briefly outlined above arepossessed of numerous limitations which account for the fact that theyhave never enjoyed commercial success. Principal among these limitationsare the disadvantages which arise in connectin with the delivery of thecrop material to the rotor casing at a rate commensurate with theability of the threshing and separating instrumentalities within thecasing to process such material. Specifically, the maximum diameter orsize of the rotor casing of an axial flow combine is limited bypractical considerations and, heretofore, it has been considerednecessary to limit the width of the feeder, which supplies the crop matto the forward end of the rotor, to a dimension no greater than thediameter of the rotor casing inasmuch as there is a limit to the linearspeed at which the impeller will accept such material for rearwardpropulsion. The potential threshing and separating ability of the rotorunder such circumstances does not match the rate of feed of the cropmaterial in that it greatly exceeds such rate and, as a result theefficiency of the combine is less than desirable.

A further limitation that is attendant upon the construction andoperation of an axial flow combine resides in the fact that the feedingof the crop material endwise into the forward end of the rotor casinghas the disadvantage that with a rapidly rotating impeller, blocking ofthe crop which is entering the casing frequently takes place due to abacklash effect on such particles as fail to enter the propulsive areaof the impeller. This tendency for the impeller to reject the materialalso reduces the capacity of the combine to'handle the material in thatthe full potential of the threshing and separating instrumentalities isnot fulfilled.

A similar and relates limitation in connection with axial flow combinesresides in the tendency for the straw or other long grasses to warparound the rotor shaft andalso the leading edges of the impeller vaneswith the net result that the material builds up at the entrance regionof the rotor casing. This build up of material inhibits .free flow ofthe crop material rearwardly through the casing and, as the build upincreases it may cause binding of the rotor within the casing andconsequent damage thereto or to other portions of the combine includingthe casing itself, or it may cause damage to the power train of stallingof the drive motor for the rotor.

Yet another limitation associated with an axial combine resides in theexposed disposition of the front rotor shaft bearing where it iscentrally located inlthe path of entrance of the crop material into therotor casing. The bearing is thus subject to contamination by dust andother foreign material which may find its way into the bearing races andultimately cause bearing failure.

The herein disclosed combine is designed to overcome all of the abovenoted limitations that are attendant upon the construction and operationof known combines of the axial flow type and the present invention isparticularly concerned with the first of these limitations and residesin the provision of a means whereby crop material may be fed to therotor casing at a rate which substantially matches the full potentialcapacity of the threshing and separating instrumentalities to performtheir respective functions. The provision of an axial flow combine whichthus will permit reception within the rotor casing of a full quota ofcrop material at a rate commensurate with the ability of the threshingand separating instrumentalities to process such material, constitutesthe principal object of the present invention.

In carrying out this object the invention contemplates the provision ofa rotor casing which has at its forward crop-receiving end an enlargedoutwardly flared funnel-like transition section of frusto-conicalconfiguration, this section constituting, in effect, a continuation ofthe rotor casing, and such section being provided with internaltransport fins similar to those in the cylindrical region of the casing.The vaned rotor impeller is disposed wholly within the frusto-conicaltransition section and it is of special configuration in that the vanesthereof have outer arcuate edges which throughout their length maintaina small but constant clearance from the wall of the section. This flaredtransition section cooperates with a crop feeder having a widthsubstantially equal to the mouth or large base of the frustoconicalsection, such width being appreciably greater than the diameter of thecylindrical section of the rotor casing so that a wider crop mat, whichcontains the excess crop material necessary to bring the feed up to thepotential capacity of the threshing and separating instrumentalities,may be fed to the rotor casing. By such an arrangement, for a givenrotor and impeller speed, the full capacity of the crop-treating devicesmay be accommodated and the rate of forward feeding of the crop may bemaintained within the acceptable limits.

The remaining limitations which have been outlined above, namely, (1)blocking of the crop due to backlash from the extreme forward edges ofthe impeller vanes, (2) wrapping of the crop material about the rotorshaft and (3) penetration of dust and other foreign material into theconfines of the rotor shaft front bearing, constitute no part of thepresent invention although the means whereby such limitations areovercome by the present combine have been fully disclosed and describedherein. These various means constitute thesubject matter of certaincopending applications which will be identified presently when suchmeans are individually described.

In the accompanying five sheets of drawings forming a part of thisspecification, one illustrative embodiment of the invention isdisclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view ofan axial flow-type combine embodying the principles of the presentinvention, a major portion of one side wall being removed to reveal thecrop-impelling means, the crop gathering means, the crop feeding means,the axial threshing and separating means, the grain cleaning andhandling means, and the residue discharge means;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged isolated front perspective view of an elongatedimpeller and rotor assembly which is employed in connection with theinvention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary rear side perspective view of the front endportion of the structure shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front perspective view of the forward portion ofthe threshing portion of the combine looking rearwardly into the frontcrop-receiving end of the elongated cylindrical rotor casing which, incombination with its associated rotor, establishes the axial threshingand separating means, a portion of the upper front closure sheet whichextends across the casing being broken away in the interests of clarity;

FIG. 5 is an exploded fragmentary front perspective view of the rotorcasing and its associated rotor, the front end wall of such casing beingremoved in the interests of clarity;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 of FIG.4, the view being taken from the viewing angle of the operator of thecombine;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 7--7 of FIG.6;

FIG. 8 is an end view of the structure shown in FIG. 7, the view lookingin the direction of the arrows associated with the line 88 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a front right outside elevational view, largely schematic inits representation, of the forward region of the elongated rotor casing,together with a portion of the crop feeding means;

FIG. 10 is a front end and similarly schematic view of the structureshown in FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line l11l of FIG. 10.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular to FIG. 1, anaxial flow-type combine is designated in its entirety by the referencenumeral 10, the combine being of the general type shown and described inUS. Pat. No. 3,481,342, granted on Dec. 2, I969 and entitled AXIALFLOW-TYPE COMBINE. The combine involves in its general organization achassis or body portion 12 having vertial side walls 14, the bodyportion being supported by a pair of relatively large drive wheels 16 inthe front region of the combine, and a pair of steerable or dirigiblewheels 18 at the rear of the combine. The combine further includes anoperators platform and a cab 20, a crop-gathering header 22, a feeder24, a grain elevator 26 and an engine 28. A grain tank (not shown) isenclosed within the walls of the body portion 12. As is the case inconnection with axial flow-type combines of the character underconsideration, the axial threshing and separating means are embodied ina single unit in the form of an elongated and generally cylindricalmember 30 in the form of a rotor casing having a rotor 32 mountedtherein. The forward end of the rotor 32 carries a vaned impeller 34 ofthe helix type. The present invention is concerned primarily with thenature of the rotor casing 30 and its associated rotor 32, andespecially with the character ofthe impeller 34 and the manner in whichit cooperates with the rotor casing 30, the invention also having arelation to the front bearing support for the rotor, such bearingsupport having associated therewith bearing protecting means and ananti-wrap feature which inhibits the unthreshed straw or other cropmaterial undergoing gathering from becoming wrapped about the axis ofthe rotor or the leading edges of the impeller. The invention is furtherrelated to a slanted-plane transition crop feeding means at the frontend of the cylindrical rotor casing 30 and by means of which theunthreshed material which is fed into the forward end of such casingfrom the feeder 24 is brought into camming engagement with a pair ofsmooth flat imperforate guide plates by means of which such material isguided circumferentially and rearwardly and is thus moved uniformly intothe working area of the impeller. These several features of theinvention will be described in detail subsequently when the nature ofthe present axial flow-type combine is better understood.

Other conventional combine components not specifically related to thepresent invention, and which are more or less schematically disclosedherein, are the blower 40, grain auger 42 leading to the aforementionedgrain elevator 26, and tailings auger 44, these components beingenclosed within a lower casing section 45 beneath the chassis or bodyportion 12. Enclosed within the body portion 12 beneath the cylindricalmember 30 is an elongated generally flat endless conveyor 46 whichreceives separated grain from the concave and grate sections of suchmember and conducts such grain rearwardly for discharge onto a chaffersieve 48. Such sieve is reciprocated in a fore and aft direction so asto pass grain and tailings to a grain sieve 50 which also isreciprocated to separate the grain from the tailings so that the grainpasses through such sieve and into the grain auger 42 while the tailingsare delivered rearwardly to the tailings auger 44. The grain in theauger 42 is delivered through the elevator means 26 to the grain tank,while the tailings are returned to the cylinder 30 by elevator means(not shown). A terminal beater 52 which is disposed beneath the rear endof the cylindrical member prepares the straw residue for discharge fromthe combine rearwardly thereof.

Still referring to FIG. 1, the elongated cylindrical rotor casing 30extends along the longitudinal axis of the combine l0 and the forwardend thereof is provided with a frusto-conical transition section 54which is so termed because it represents a funnel-like entrance mouth bymeans of which material that is fed rearwardly from the feeder 24 in theform of a relatively wide mat is shrunk, so to speak, and caused toenter the remaining portion of the rotor casing for threshing andseparating functions which are performed within the casing upon thismaterial.

As will be described in greater detail presently, the impeller 34 isprovided with a vane arrangement which closely mates with the innerfrusto-conical surface of the transition section 54, this featureconstituting an important aspect of the present invention. The materialwhich enters the truly cylindrical portion of the casing is processed asit travels rearwardly, the threshed grain escaping from the casingthrough the apertured bottom which is made up of a concave 56 and agrate 58. The straw and other waste material is discharged through astraw discharge opening 60 formed in the lower region of the rear endportion of the casing 30. A plurality of spiral transport fins 62 arefixedly secured to the upper internal surface of the cylindrical member30, these fins functioning to index the material axially through thecasing from the frusto-conical transition section 54 to the strawdischarge opening 60.

The lower region of the elongated cylindrical rotor casing 30 inapproximately the forward half thereof is defined by the provision ofthe aforementioned perforate concave 56 (see also FIG. 5), theperforations therein being of a size which will permit the passage ofgrain therethrough. The lower region of the rear half of the casing 30is defined by the provision of the aforementioned perforate grate 58which is less aggressive than is the concave 56 and which is providedwith smaller apertures. Both the concave 56 and grate 58 areconventional in their structural make-up, the concave including aplurality of parallel ribs through which a series of small diameterwires extend, and the grate 58 being comprised of a curved sheet ofperforated flat metal stock. Preferably the concave is provided withadjusting means (not shown) by means of which it may be adjustedrelative to the axis of the rotor 32, and also with means whereby it maybe removed from the combine for purposes of cleaning, repair orreplacement, such means constituting the subject matter of a copendingUnited States application, Ser. No. 375,250 filed June 29, 1973 andentitled REMOVABLE CON- CAVE FOR AXIAL FLOW-TYPE COMBINES. The grate 58is likewise preferably removable to the end that grates havingappropriate size apertures for varying crops may be interchanged.

Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 5, and considering a viewing angle whichlooks axially into the rotor casing 30 from the front end thereof, theconcave 56 occupies a sector which is of approximately 120 extent andwhich extends from the 3 oclock position to the 7 oclock position. Tothe left of the concave 56 is a preliminary grate 64 which extendsapproximately from the 7 oclock position to the I 1 oclock position,such grate being coextensive with the concave 56 in a longitudinaldirection and defining approximately a 120 sector. The remainder of therotor casing 30 exclusive of the transition section 54 and the enlargeddiameter section is perforated.

The rear end of the rotor casing 30 is formed with an enlarged diametersection 70 which defines in effect a cylindrical expansion chamber 72within which the straw or crop residue which approaches the rear end ofthe casing is given a swirling motion by the rotor 32 so that it is thusloosened and caused to be flung by centrifugal force through thedischarge opening 60.

The rotor 32 is rotatably journalled for operation within the rotorcasing 30, its direction of rotation being counterclockwise as viewedfrom the front of the combine, for example as seen in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5.The rotor involves in its general organization a central axial rotorshaft 74 which has its forward end rotatably journalled in a shieldedbearing assembly 76 (FIGS. 6 and 7) which is supported by and enclosedwithin a casting 78 having a radially offset portion 80 which willhereinafter be referred to as an anti-wrap shed bar inasmuch as itsfunction is to divert the crop material entering the rotor casing 30 andprevent the same from bridging across the front of the impeller bladesand forming a torus which, otherwise, would block the path of othermaterial entering between such blades. The casting 78, in addition tofunctioning as a bearing support and antiwrap member, further functionsas a bearing shield and protector as willbe described in detailpresently. Such multi-purpose casting constitutes the subject matter ofa copending United States Patent Application, Ser. No. 375,270, filedJune 29, I973 and entitled CROP- DIVERTING SHED BAR AND BEARING PROTEC-TOR FOR THE ROTOR SHAFT OF AN AXIAL FLOW-TYPE COMBINE. The casting 78is, in turn, fixedly supported at the medial region of a transverserotor supporting member 82 (FIGS. 1, 4, 6, 7 and 11), such member beinggenerally of forwardly facing channel-shape construction and havingupper and lower horizontal side flanges 84 which taper in width fromleft to right as viewed in FIG. 4 for a purpose that will be made clearsubsequently, and a connecting vertical web portion 86. The oppositeends of the channel-like member 82 are variously secured by bolts 88(FIG. 4) to portions of the combine side walls 14.

The rear end of the rotor shaft 74 is rotatably journalled in transversebar or channel 90 which constitutes an element of the combine chassis12. A Reeves drive or-other type of variable pitch belt and pulleymechanism 92 extends between the rear end of the shaft 74 and the engine28 and establishes a driving connection from the engine. The rotorcasing 30 is also supported at its rear end from the transverse bar 90while the 'front end of the casing is similarly supported from theaforementioned channel member 82, the forward rim of the frusto-conicaltransition section 54 being bolted to such member as indicated at 94 inFIG. 4.

In addition to the impeller 34, the rotor 32 is provided with a seriesof longitudinally spaced three-arm spiders (FIGS. 2 and 3) having radialarms 102 which, at their outer ends, carry longitudinally extendingblades 104, the latter being in the form of lengths of structural anglepieces. The spiders are fixedly secured to the rotor shaft 74 at spacedregions therealong and corresponding anns 102 thereof are inlongitudinal alignment so that the blades 104 may bridge the outer endsof such arms and thus assume circumferential positions in the rotorassembly which are disposed 120 apart. Reference to FIG. 1 will revealthe fact that approximately the forward halves of the blades 104 extendthrough the threshing area of the casing 30 and cooperate with theconcave 56 and preliminary grate 64, while the rear halves of the blades104 extend through the separating area of the casing 30. Aggressivemeans in the formof conventional rasp bars are secured by bolts 112(FIG. 3) to the outer surfaces of the longitudinally extending blades104 in the threshing area of the casing and cooperate with the concave56 and preliminary grate 64 in the usual manner for crop threshingpurposes during rotation of the rotor 32. A terminal disk 11] (FIGS. 2and 5) which is formed in three sectors 113 is disposed near the rearend of the rotor 30 and the radial edges of the sectors 111 are anchoredto the adjacent spider arms 102. The threshed and separated grainpassing through the concave 56 and grate 64 falls by gravity onto theflat endless conveyor 46 and is conducted rearwardly as previouslydescribed to the chaffer sieve 48.

Considering now the frusto-conical transition section 54 of the rotorcasing 30 and its associated impeller 34, and referring particularly toFIGS. 1, 4, and 11, such transition section and impeller constitute oneof the principal features of the present invention. The section 34 maybe regarded as a forward extension of the cylindrical rotor casingproper and its conical characteristics are such that it has a slantangle on the order of from l5 to and a relatively short slant height.The function of the transition section 34 is to funnel the crop materialinto the cylindrical section of the rotor casing and thus permit the useof an impeller which has an overall mean diameter which is appreciablylarger than the maximum diameter which is permissible in the absence ofthe transition section. A plurality of spiral transport fins 115 whichare similar to the fins 62 are provided internally on the wall of thetransition section 64. By the use of such transition section incombination with a correspondingly shaped impeller, the width of thefeeder 24 is not limited by the diameter of the cylindrical portion ofrotor casing 30 and, furthermore with such a rotor, since thematerial-moving capacity of the average bladed impeller is an algebraicfunction of its diameter (other things being equal), an appreciableexcess of crop material may be fed into the cylindrical working sectionof the rotor casing when even a small increase in impeller diameter isinvolved.

The impeller 34 includes a plurality of vanes or helix flights I14(FIGS. 2 to 5 inclusive) which are in the form of generally flattriangular sheet metal vanes which have their linearly straight edgessecured by bolts 116 to a series of bolting flanges 118 provided on acentral hub 120 which is fixedly mounted on the rotor shaft 74.Preferably the number of vanes correspond to the number of rotor blades104, there being three such vanes in the illustrated embodiment of thecombine. As best seen in FIG. 3, the vanes are staggered in acircumferential direction relative to the blades 104 so that each vanelongitudinally opposes the void which exists between a pair of adjacentblades. As clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each generally triangularvane 114 has a linearly straight substantially radially extendingleading edge 121, and an arcuate outer edge 122.

According to the present invention, the extended outline of the threevanes or flights 114 generates a cone frustum having a slant angle whichis substantially equal to the slant angle of the frusto-conicaltransition section 54 of the rotor casing 30 so that the small clearancewhich exists between each arcuate outside edge 122 and the adjacentinner surface of the transition section 54 is substantially constantthroughout the extent of such edge. Specifically, since the vanes 114are substantially planar, the extended planes thereof intersect the conefrustum of the transition section 54 along approximately paraboliclines, such being the conic section which results from the intersectionof a plane and a cone frustum. Thus, to maintain such constant clearancebetween the vanes 114 and the transition section 54, the outer edges 122of the vanes 114 are preferably of substantially parabolic curvature.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 9, l0 and 11, the feeder 24 which is ofconventional construction is provided with an internal crop-elevatingconveyor 130 (FIG. 11) which carries the gathered crop upwardly andrearwardly and discharges the same through a rectangular dischargeopening 132 from whence it enters a short rectangular crop inlet conduit134 which communicates with the interior of the frusto-conicaltransition section 54 of the rotor casing 30 in an axial direction andat a location appreciably below the longitudinal axis of the latter. Theforward end of the feeder 24 is telescopically received within the cropinlet conduit 134 and is connected thereto by a hinge 136. The conduit134 is somewhat wider than the lower region ofthe transition section 54with which it communicates and, therefore, in order to direct all of thegathered crop material into the section 54, a pair of generallytriangular gussct-like wcb pieces I38 (FIG. 10) fold and funnel the edgeregions of the generally flat mat of crop material inwardly so that itwill enter the transition section 54.

It has been found that in connection with axial flowtype combines of thecharacter under consideration it is necessary to provide a forward endwall for the front end of the rotor casing so as to confine the cropmaterial which is fed into the forward end of the casing since there isa considerable backlash of material which is chewed from the rearwardlyadvancing mat of crop material issuing from the feeder 24 and passingthrough the conduit 134. Where a circular transverse planar forward endwall is employed, it has been found that this backlash of crop materialimpacts against such end wall, builds up thereon, and ultimately forms acircular cake which clogs the impeller due to the upthrust of materialon one side of the rotor casing and the downthrust of material on theother side thereof. Thus a rotating circular disk of the material iscreated within the casing in advance of the impeller and as this diskbecomes thicker, it finally establishes a solid circular mat which canno longer rotate and ultimately produces a condition of engine stall. Toobviate this difficulty, the present combine employs what is hereintermed a slanted-plane transition feed arrangement whereby the materialis given a rearward impetus as soon as it enters the rotor casing and iscarried well into the working area of the impeller blades 114 and awayfrom the front closure wall before it has had time to build up in theform of a cake. This herein termed slanted plane transition feedarrangement constitutes the subject matter of a copending United Statesapplication, Ser. No. 375,207, filed on June 29, 1973 and entitled CROPFEEDING MECHANISM FOR AXIAL FLOW-TYPE COMBINES.

In the following description of such slanted plane feed arrangement, itshould be borne in mind that directional references to right and left asrelated to either the right and left side of the combine, or to thetransverse components of crop movement across the entrance region of thetransition section 54 of the rotor casing 30, are related to theoperators position within the cab 20. Thus the left side of the combineis to be regarded as that side which is to the left of the operator andany transverse components of movement of the crop material within theconfines of the transition section 54 are referred to as either right orleft. movements on the same directional basis.

This so-called slanted plane transition feed arrange ment is so designedthat it provides a generally circumferential path of movement for thecrop material after it has entered the confines of the transitionsection 54, such path having a rearward component of motion andconsisting of slightly less than one complete circumferential sweep.Stated otherwise, the path of movement transition section and before itmoves completely into the working area of the impeller 34 is generallyhelical and consists of less than one helix turn. Bearing in mind thatthe rotor 32 turns in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from thefront end thereof, the crop material of the crop web issuing from thefeeder 24 tends to be elevated by the upwardly moving vanes 114 whichpass across the general plane of the crop web issuing from the feeder 24at the right side of the latter. This mate rial is picked up by therising vanes 114 and swept upwardly and to the left over the upperregion of the transition section 54 and during this circumferentialmovement of the material it is forced rearwardly into the working areaof the impeller. Subsequently, as the vanes on the left side of thetransition section 54 descend, fresh material is removed from theforward edge of the crop mat and carried downwardly, during which timeit is similarly forced rearwardly and into the working area of theimpeller.

This path of circumferential movement for the crop material on oppositesides of the transition section 54 is afforded by the provision of twoflat transition sheets including an upper semicircular sheet 140 and alower semicircular sheet 142 (FIGS. 4, and 11). These two sheets, ineffect, constitute an end closure wall for the rotor casing 30 which isimperforate except for the provision of the intervening rectangular cropfeed opening 143 (FIG. 11) which exists between the opposed horizontaledges of the two sheets.

Each of the two sheets 140 and 142 is of semicircular configuration andeach encompasses a minor circle sector, the upper sheet 140 having abolting flange 144 (FIGS. 4, 6, 9 and 11) along its lower edge which issecured to the upper channel flange 84 of the rotor supporting channelmember 82. The crop feed opening 144 lies slightly below the level ofthe rotor 74 and thus the upper sheet 140, in combination with the webportion 86 of the member 82, closes off a major circle area of the largebase of the cone frustum defined by the transition section 54. The lowersheet 142 similarly closes off a minor circle area of such large base ofthe a small component of rearward movement in addition to its largecomponent. of counterclockwise circumfer ential movement. This rearwardmovement is further augmented by the provision of the fixed helicaltransport fins 115 on the inside surface of the transition section 54and it is of sufficient magnitude that'by the time the material hasswept around the circular peripheral region ofthe upper sheet 140 it hasbeen displaced well into the operating region of the impeller 32 and theblades 114 of the latter, in combination with the transport fins 115 ofthe transition section 54 and the transport fins 62 of the cylindricalsection of the rotor casing 30, continue to impel the crop materialaxially and rearwardly through the casing where it is operated upon inthe threshing area which embodies the concave 56 and the separating areawhich embodies the grate Considering now the casting 78 which, asaforementioned, serves the multiple functions of establishing a bearinghousing or support, providing a protective shield for the bearing, andestablishing the offset antiwrap shed bar 80, the casting appears inFIGS. 1, 6, 7, 8 and 11 and it embodies a central hub portion 150 (FIGS.6 and 7) from which the shed bar, which is of hollow construction,projects radially outwardly and has the outline of a relatively largeoffset lobe. The casting is fixedly secured to the vertical web portion86 of the bearing support bar 82 by means of bolts 152 or the like whichpass through internal bosses 154 (FIG. 7) which are formed in the hollowshed bar 80.

The central hub portion 150 is generally of cup-shape design and isprovided with an internal annular recess 160 (FIG. 6) which defines aninner cylindrical wall 162 and an outer cylindrical'wal] 164, the shedbar 80 projecting outwardly from the outer wall 164. The bearingassembly 76 is preferably of the type which is commonly known as aspherical bearing and it includes an inner race member 166 which isfixedly mounted on cone frustum, the two sheets and the member 82defming the rectangular crop feed opening 145 therebetween. The sheets140 and 142 are slanted in different directions, the upper sheet 140slanting to the left and rearwardly as clearly shown in FIGS. 9 and 11,and the lower sheet 142 slanting to the right and rearwardly. The lowersheet 142 may be integrally formed on the bottom wall of theaforementioned crop inlet conduit 134. The arcuate periphery of theupper sheet 140 is connected to the forward open rim of the transitionsection 54 by a curved tapered fill-in strip 145 (FIGS. 4 and 5). Thearcuate periphery of the lower sheet 142 is similarly connected to theforward open rim of the transition section 54 by a tapered fill-in strip148.

From the above description it will be apparent that as the flat mat-likesheet of crop material issuing from the feeder 24 passes rearwardlythrough the feed opening 145 and enters the transmission section 54 ofthe rotor casing 30, the material which is removed from the right handside of the leading edge of the crop mat will be carried upwardly andaround the upper region of the section 54 by the upwardly moving vanes114 as previously described. This material will make camming or slidingengagement with the rear or inside surface of the slanting sheet 140 andthus have imparted thereto the rotor shaft 74 and an outer race member168 which is fixedly secured within the inner cylindrical wall 162. Asbest shown in FIGS. 2, 5, 6 and 7, the central hub l20 which supportsthe various impeller vanes 114 is provided with a circular sealing disk170 which projects into the recess 160 and, in combination with theouter cylindrical wall 164 establishes a protective dust seal for thebearing assembly 76.

As previously stated, the function of the shed bar is to divert the cropmaterial which issues from the feeder 24 and passes through the cropinlet conduit 134 and thus prevent the crop material from bridgingacross the impeller blades. Reference to FIG. 7 will reveal the factthat the shed bar 80 is relatively wide, which is to say that itsvertical width is of appreciable extent while its radial extent is evengreater than its vertical width. On this basis the shed bar may beconsidered to be relatively massive and its outline is such that thecrop material is given a clockwise direction of motion as viewed in FIG.7 (such view being a rear view) so that the material will cam around theshed bar, so to speak, and be conducted to regions which are appreciablyradially re moved from the axis of the rotor shaft 74. The crop materialwhich is thus conducted over the arcuate upper periphery of the shed baris continuously forced radially outwardly along a generally evolute pathand deposited in the peripheral region of the transition section 54.

From the above description it is believed that the nature and operationof the herein disclosed axial flow type combine will be apparent withoutfurther detailed discussion, it being deemed sufficient to summarize theprincipal features of the present combine these features being (I) theuse of the frusto-conieal transition section 54 in combination with aconformably shaped impellcr 34 having blades [14 which. closely fit theinner surface of such transition section; (2) the positioning of the twoflat transition sheets 140 and 142 across the crop entrance mouth of thetransition section 54 at different slant angles so that the upper sheet140 guides the material which is severed from the leading end of theoncoming web of crop material at one side of the rotor housingrearwardly and into the working area of the impeller 34, while the lowersheet 142 similarly guides the material which is severed from suchleading end of the web at the other side of the rotor housing; and (3)the provision of the casting 78 which performs the fuel function ofsupporting and shielding the bearing assembly 76 at the forward end ofthe rotor shaft 74, and of providing the fixed crop-diverting shed bar78 which conducts the crop material radially outwardly and away from therotor shaft 74 and its bearing assembly 76 to inhibit wrapping of thematerial around the impeller.

The invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of partsshown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification asvarious changes in the details of construction may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit of the invention. For example,although the rotor casing 30 has been illustrated as extending in thelongitudinal direction of the combine, it is within the purview of theinvention to construct the combine in such a manner that the easingextends transversely. Additionally, if desired, the rotor casing mayassume any desired inclination on the combine chassis. In any event, thecrop-receiving end of the casing will be regarded as being the forwardend thereof although such end may not necessarily be at the forward endof the combine. Therefore, only insofar as the invention hasparticularly been pointed out in the accompanying claims is the same tobe limited.

What is claimed is:

1. In an axial flow combine, in combination, an elongated generallycylindrical rotor casing defining a forward threshing region and arearward separating region, the forward end of said threshing regionbeing provided with a forwardly and outwardly flared funnellikefrusto-conical transition section designed for endwise reception of cropmaterial, a rotor disposed within said casing in coaxial relationshipand substantially coextensive therewith, cooperating threshinginstrumentalities on said casing and rotor within said threshing region,cooperating separating instrumentalities on said casing and rotor withinsaid separating region, and a vaned impeller on said rotor within saidfrusto-conical transition section for moving the crop material receivedin said section rearwardly into the threshing region, and means fordriving said rotor.

2. In an axial flow combine, the combination set forth in claim 1,wherein said impeller is provided with a series of vanes thereon havingouter surfaces which sweep around the inner surface of saidfrusto-conical transition section in coextensive close proximitythereto.

3. In an axial flow combine, the combination set forth in claim 2,wherein said vanes are individually in the form of a flat metal sheetshaving arcuate outer edges which are of substantially parabolic contourand thus are spaced equidistantly throughout their extent from saidinner wall of the frusto-conical transition section.

4. In an axial flow combine, the combination set forth in claim 3including, additionally, a series of longitudinally spaced generallyhelical transport fins fixedly disposed on said frusto-conicaltransition section internally thereof for enhancing the flow of cropmaterial rearwardly.

5. In an axial flow combine, the combination set forth in claim 2,wherein said rotor embodies a central rotor shaft coaxial with thecasing, and an impeller hub on which said vanes are mounted, each vaneis in the form of a generally triangular flat metal sheet having alinearly straight inner edge which is secured to said hub, a linearlystraight radially extending leading edge, and a trailing outer arcuateedge which is of substantially parabolic contour and is thus spacedequidistantly throughout its extent from said inner wall of thefrustoconical transition section.

6. In an axial flow combine, the combination set forth in claim 5including, additionally, a series of longitudinally spaced generallyhelical transport fins fixedly disposed on said frusto-conicaltransition section internally thereof for enhancing the flow of cropmaterial rearwardly.

7. In an axial flow combine, in combination, an elongated generallycylindrical horizontal rotor casing defining a forward threshing regionand a rearward separating region, the forward end of said threshingregion being provided with a forwardly and outwardly flared funnel-likefrusto-conical transition section designed for endwise reception of cropmaterial, a rotor shaft disposed within said casing in coaxialrelationship and substantially coextensive therewith, the wall of saidcasing in said threshing region embodying a concave, the wall of saidcasing in said separating region embodying a grate, a hub-like spidermounted on said rotor shaft in the threshing region and having radialspider arms thereon, a similar spider mounted on the rotor shaft in theseparating region, longitudinal rotor blades secured to and extendingbetween corresponding radial arms of the spiders, rasp bars on saidrotor blades in the threshing region of the casing and designed forthreshing cooperation with said concave, the portions of the rotorblades within said separating region being de- 7 signed for separatingcooperation with said grate, and

a vaned impeller on said rotor within said frustoconical transitionsection for moving the crop material received in said section rearwardlyinto the threshing region, said impeller embodying a series of vanesthereon having outer surfaces which sweep around the inner surface ofsaid frusto-conical transition section in coextensive close proximitythereto, said vanes being equal in number to the number of radial armson each of said spiders.

8. In an axial flow combine, the combination set forth in claim 7,wherein said spider arms and vanes are stag- 13 are spaced equidistantlythroughout their extent from said inner wall of the frusto-conicaltransition section.

10. In an axial flow combine, the combination set forth in claim 8,wherein said rotor embodies a central rotor shaft coaxial with thecasing, and an impeller hub on which said vanes are mounted, each vaneis in the form of a generally triangular flat metal sheet having alinearly straight inner edge which is secured to said hub, a linearlystraight radially extending leading edge, and a trailing outer arcuateedge which is of substanmaterial rearwardly.

1. In an axial flow combine, in combination, an elongated generallycylindrical rotor casing defining a forward threshing region and arearward separating region, the forward end of said threshing regionbeing provided with a forwardly and outwardly flared funnel-likefrusto-conical transition section designed for endwise reception of cropmaterial, a rotor disposed within said casing in coaxial relationshipand substantially coextensive therewith, cooperating threshinginstrumentalities on said casing and rotor within said threshing region,cooperating separating instrumentalities on said casing and rotor withinsaid separating region, and a vaned impeller on said rotor within saidfrustoconical transition section for moving the crop material receivedin said section rearwardly into the threshing region, and means fordriving said rotor.
 2. In an axial flow combine, the combination setforth in claim 1, wherein said impeller is provided with a series ofvanes thereon having outer surfaces which sweep around the inner surfaceof said frusto-conical transition section in coextensive close proximitythereto.
 3. In an axial flow combine, the combination set forth in claim2, wherein said vanes are individually in the form of a flat metalshEets having arcuate outer edges which are of substantially paraboliccontour and thus are spaced equidistantly throughout their extent fromsaid inner wall of the frusto-conical transition section.
 4. In an axialflow combine, the combination set forth in claim 3 including,additionally, a series of longitudinally spaced generally helicaltransport fins fixedly disposed on said frusto-conical transitionsection internally thereof for enhancing the flow of crop materialrearwardly.
 5. In an axial flow combine, the combination set forth inclaim 2, wherein said rotor embodies a central rotor shaft coaxial withthe casing, and an impeller hub on which said vanes are mounted, eachvane is in the form of a generally triangular flat metal sheet having alinearly straight inner edge which is secured to said hub, a linearlystraight radially extending leading edge, and a trailing outer arcuateedge which is of substantially parabolic contour and is thus spacedequidistantly throughout its extent from said inner wall of thefrusto-conical transition section.
 6. In an axial flow combine, thecombination set forth in claim 5 including, additionally, a series oflongitudinally spaced generally helical transport fins fixedly disposedon said frusto-conical transition section internally thereof forenhancing the flow of crop material rearwardly.
 7. In an axial flowcombine, in combination, an elongated generally cylindrical horizontalrotor casing defining a forward threshing region and a rearwardseparating region, the forward end of said threshing region beingprovided with a forwardly and outwardly flared funnel-likefrusto-conical transition section designed for endwise reception of cropmaterial, a rotor shaft disposed within said casing in coaxialrelationship and substantially coextensive therewith, the wall of saidcasing in said threshing region embodying a concave, the wall of saidcasing in said separating region embodying a grate, a hub-like spidermounted on said rotor shaft in the threshing region and having radialspider arms thereon, a similar spider mounted on the rotor shaft in theseparating region, longitudinal rotor blades secured to and extendingbetween corresponding radial arms of the spiders, rasp bars on saidrotor blades in the threshing region of the casing and designed forthreshing cooperation with said concave, the portions of the rotorblades within said separating region being designed for separatingcooperation with said grate, and a vaned impeller on said rotor withinsaid frusto-conical transition section for moving the crop materialreceived in said section rearwardly into the threshing region, saidimpeller embodying a series of vanes thereon having outer surfaces whichsweep around the inner surface of said frusto-conical transition sectionin coextensive close proximity thereto, said vanes being equal in numberto the number of radial arms on each of said spiders.
 8. In an axialflow combine, the combination set forth in claim 7, wherein said spiderarms and vanes are staggered in the circumferential direction of therotor.
 9. In an axial flow combine, the combination set forth in claim8, wherein said vanes are individually in the form of flat metal sheetshaving arcuate outer edges which are of substantially parabolic contourand thus are spaced equidistantly throughout their extent from saidinner wall of the frusto-conical transition section.
 10. In an axialflow combine, the combination set forth in claim 8, wherein said rotorembodies a central rotor shaft coaxial with the casing, and an impellerhub on which said vanes are mounted, each vane is in the form of agenerally triangular flat metal sheet having a linearly straight inneredge which is secured to said hub, a linearly straight radiallyextending leading edge, and a trailing outer arcuate edge which is ofsubstantially parabolic contour and is thus spaced equidistantlythroughout its extent from said inner wall of the frusto-conicaltransition section.
 11. In an axial flow combine, the combination setforth in claim 10 including, additionally, a series of longitudinallyspaced generally helical transport fins fixedly disposed on saidfrusto-conical transition section internally thereof for enhancing theflow of crop material rearwardly.